[Journalists] radio questions

[Brian Buhrow]

	Hello.  I'm not sure how to address all your questions, but I think
the way to go about solving these issues is to try and solve them one at a
time.
	The first clue I think about  when thinking about solving your problem
is in your message.  You say that your boss thinks you could do the job and
if things are going weird, you could call him up and he could fix it
remotely.  If he can fix it remotely, why can't you?  What I mean is , if
it's accessible via a modem or over the Internet, you could use an
accessible laptop to access the computer system via  a modem or over the
radio station's network to get at the data you  need.  In other words,
forget the touch screen, use the same technique he would use to help you
out to fix the problem yourself.
	If there is no way to get the transmitter readings other than via a
visual screen, then you may need a reader for that.  But, they sound like a
fairly modern radio station setup and it may just be that no one has
learned another way to get the readings because they didn't have to.  Some
research on the equipment they're using may reveal an answer which isn't
known by the current staff.
	I'm sure there are others who know more about radio station setups than
I do on this list, but this is a start of some ideas.
	The most important thing, of course, is for you to remain excited
about wanting to do the work, and continuing to search for creative
solutions for problems like this.  If you talk to enough people and think
outside the box, you'll be able to get most of the solutions you need.
And, it might be that another opening will come along with this company
which you'll be able to move into soon, meaning that even if a solution you
come up with today is not good for the long term, it will be good enough for
your needs.
Good luck, and keep searching.  I'm confident you'll get useful answers and
be able to further your career.
-Brian
On Aug 17,  1:36pm, Kerri Kosten wrote:
} Subject: [Journalists] radio questions
} Hi:
} 
} My name is Kerri Kosten. I am a sophomore Journalism major at West
} Virginia University in Morgantown, W.VA in the United States. I want
} to do sports reporting as a career...not sure whether broadcast or
} writing yet...'m trying to learn both and not limit myself since they
} are both important. I definitely want to focus on online though.
} 
} Anyway, last year I began an internship at a local radio station here
} in Morgantown. I write the sports page for one of the stations
} websites...it's a pretty big job for an intern.
} 
} Well, now they want to actually pay me to run the rradio stations
} overnights on Saturdays. No, I would not be paid for doing writing the
} sports page, which is my internship job, but this is how you start
} out...baby steps.
} 
} Here are the issues though. This shift has two requirements...one is
} that you take transmitter readings every hour. The other is that you
} make sure the programming works correctly, and fixing it if there are
} any problems. There are four radio stations...so I would be
} responsible for operating four radio staions
} 
} Well, first, a couple of the transmitter readings have to be taken
} manually, not over the phone. In the WAJR studio, there is this
} machine. On the bottom, there are tons of buttons...just buttons not a
} keypad. Then, above that, there are two little slivers of screen. One
} is for one station, and then a little above it is the second sliver
} for the other station. You actually have to read physically with your
} eyes the numbers off the slivers of screen and then manually enter it
} in. Why you can't just do these readings over the phone like the
} others...I have no idea. So, that is one problem.
} 
} The second is that again if something goes wrong with any of the
} stations it would be my responsibility to fix, or at least try to the
} best of my abilities, to fix the stations. Well, they are touchscreen.
} 
} In each studio, there is a computer. The actual screen of the computer
} is a touchscreen...like the ones at Sheets...you touch it, the screen
} changes. There is a keyboard, but from what I have been told all it is
} used for is to search for liners and songs.
} 
} The station just put in this new system called Google Radio
} Automation. When, I would start, everything would be in
} automation...so it's supposed to run by itself. On a regular good
} night with no problems all I wold have to worry about is getting the
} transmitter readings. The concern though is if something goes
} wrong...then I'd have four stations or at least one or maybe two I
} could not fix.
} 
} The guy I work for, Jim, thinks that if I heard a problem, I could
} call him immediately and he could log in remotely from home and try to
} fix the problem. The concern though of course, is if the problem is
} too complex it may not be able to just be simply fixed from home.
} Plus, as you know, in radio it's important to fix any problems ASAP
} and just leisurely calling him maytake too much time. If I could not
} get a hold of him, or anybody, I'd be in trouble.
} 
} So, do you have any ideas?
} I really want to do this, and don't want to just give up.
} 
} Is my most likely option just going to be to maybe hire an assistant
} or a person who would be my eyes? If so, what are my options...do I
} have to pay them out of my pocket, or are there sources of funding
} that would give me the money, and I hire my own person?
} 
} People keep telling me that there may be some sort of technology to
} make this work, but I don't think so. People keep telling me that I
} may be able to put some kind of braille overlap over the touchscreen
} but again, the screen changes...so this wouldn't work right? I'd
} almost need something like the Iphone3gs...like some sort of
} screenreader to read the touchscreen right? Which, is not practical in
} this case.
} Then, there is the issue of the transmitter readings. Someone told me
} they make these pen like things for dyslexics where you run the pen
} across the screen, and it reads it out loud. Have you heard of these?
} I'm worried though that it may not be accurate enough.
} So, would my best bet probably be assistance?
} 
} Again, I know this job sounds almost impossible, but I really want to
} make it work. The way this company works is that you start out as an
} intern, then they fit you into one of theseshifts...then you work your
} way up from there until you get a full-time job there. I really like
} the company, and the work environment so would rlly hope to work
} there. I have been told I am one of the top 3 interns...the rest of
} them don't do anything. And, they don't just ask anyone to do
} something like this. And, I work a lot there...so to get paid would be
} sort of like a kind of reward. My bossJim refuses to give up...he
} thinks there is a way, he just is sighted so doesn't know exactly how.
} He really believes in me, and said the first day that his hope is that
} I start out as an intern, then could get a job there someday. This
} would be my chance at a start.
} 
} I personally wish they could pay me for something else I could do
} better, like maybe computer stuff, or WAJR sports, but they can't. I
} guess with the economy they can only hire for existing radio
} positions...not new ones. So, from my unerstanding, this for now is my
} only option. And, as an intern, I don't feel I have the place to ask
} for something else, or challenge that in any way.
} 
} So, I want to do anything I need to in order to potentially do this.
} 
} Thanks so much for any info anyone can give!
} 
} Kerri
} 
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>-- End of excerpt from Kerri Kosten